It is widely known to use electronic tags for various purposes. Such electronic tags may include article surveillance (EAS) tags as well as radio frequency identification (RFID) tags. RFID tags are commonly used to track the articles to which they are attached for purposes of tracking sales and shipment of the article. EAS tags may be used to provide theft deterrents. These tags are used in combination with an alarm system which monitors undesired movement of the article containing the EAS tag.
Housings have been developed which accommodate the electronic tag and which attach the tag to the desired article. Clearly, especially with the case of article surveillance tags to deter theft, it is necessary that the tag be securely supported to the article in such a manner where it remains with the article until the time of purchase. The art has seen a number of tag housings which secure the tag to the article in a manner which thwarts the unauthorized removal of the tag from the housing. However, many of these tags become difficult to remove even by authorized personnel. For example, at the point of sale, the sales person must use specialized tools and equipment to safely remove the tag housing from the article once it has been purchased.
One housing which supports an article surveillance tag to products such as eyeglasses is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,330,758. The product described therein employs a shrink wrap tube which is attachable to the tag housing. The tube may be slid over the temple arm piece of the eyeglass frame an then shrunk thereon by application of heat. At the point of purchase, the tag housing may be removed by cutting the shrink wrap tube from the article.
The product described in the above-referenced patent, while adequate for its intended purpose, is not without disadvantages. For example, the shrink wrap tube must be inserted within a slot formed on the housing. Such arrangement does not securely attach the tube to the housing prior to shrinking the tube on the article. Furthermore, since the shrink wrap tube is ultimately shrunk onto the article itself, cutting the shrink wrap tube from the article without damaging the article is difficult.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide an improved tag housing which supports an electronic tag and a shrink wrap tube to an article where the tube is securely supported on the housing and can be removed by authorized personnel in a cost effective and safe manner.